Harbingers of Disaster
by ThreeBlindMice
Summary: Catastrophe follows an Absol wherever they go, allowing them to fulfill their lifelong mission of protecting others by warning them of impending doom. Due to this gift and curse, these dark omens of danger are despised. Despite this, they continue in their selfless service to an ungrateful world, determined to one day prevent the ultimate disaster. One-shot.


**A/N: An idea that popped into my head at one point. Been writing a lot of one-shots lately, as my main story, "The Edge of Collapse," doesn't seem to be doing well. Although I do enjoy writing that story as well, hearing feedback on my writing is, in my mind, more important, at least for now. This is the first time I've written anything from the perspective of a Pokémon, so you'll forgive me for any inconsistencies.**

**More than anything, I hope you enjoy.**

It was within a beautiful and pure forest in northern Hoenn that it occurred, the strongest jolt of alarm I've ever felt in all of my life on this marvelous planet. The gentle and previously napping Swablu hatchlings, having belonged to a vast network of nests completely destroyed during a recent fire, felt my disturbance, looking towards me in alarm. I had done my best, along with three others of my kind, to forewarn the elder Altaria of their impending doom, but she had rebuffed our efforts to save them with scorn. Most of the Pokémon world still distrusted our kind, but we had rarely been treated with such disgust as we were in their dwelling.

As we predicted, the forest fire came, and along with it was the obliteration of their home. While my companions had left upon being mocked, I had stayed behind, determined to convince at least some take precautions and prepare themselves for the oncoming disaster. Only one group had listened; a mother who had nearly lost a wing to a human hunter years ago and her three healthy, but very young, hatchlings. They alone had escaped the inferno, travelling safely out of its range with me only three days later. That night had been full of both smoke and sorrow, the mother Altaria barely holding herself together as she hopped from branch to branch. In a way, the hatchlings were blessed in that they had no clue of exactly what they had lost.

I had stayed with the trio for some time since then, ignoring all urges to assist other populations with whatever natural disaster would endanger their survival. It had been difficult, but the knowledge that plenty of Absol roamed this land helped console me through my compulsions. The mother couldn't fly well, and as such needed assistance in both feeding and raising her young. With the nearest, and largest within the Sinnoh region, population of Altaria having vanished into smoke, there was nowhere else for her to go.

This, however, was not the mere compulsion that was equal parts our gift, curse, and penance. This wasn't simply a hint or a forewarning to some terrible disaster that would most likely occur within the near future.

It was, in all likelihood, a sign of _that _event, the disaster to top all previous ones.

The Awakening.

Another jolt shot through my body, even stronger than before, though I had doubted anything stronger could ever be felt. I stood up, shaking my red-tinged fur. This was no time to be sitting around. What was happening was going to take precedence over everything, something that would encompass the whole planet in its wrath. I had to go meet with the others, meet with Abel, and I had to do it _now._

Just in time for my imminent departure, likely drawn by the distressed calls of her young, the mother Altaria dropped from a nearby branch, fluttering awkwardly with her mangled right wing. A look of concern colored her features, her beak full of Wurmple for the hatchlings. I turned to face her, my demeanor calm and expressionless. Releasing the grouping of dead grubs into the now hungrily chirping Swablu, she turned to me, frowning.

"Cain," she began carefully, settling into the grass while her children ate their fill. "Are you… are you leaving us?" She kept her eyes on my, despite the fact that she was preening a particularly roughed up hatchling who had recently taken to chasing his siblings around the clearing that I slept in. I was not an efficient tree climber, and after trying for nearly a week to fit on their nesting branch, I had given up. "You promised that you would help me raise them until they could fly, and that's not going to be for nearly a month… has something happened?" she whispered at the end, alarm taking dominance over her concern for me.

"Nothing that involves you and your young," I assured, my tone even. There was no reason to scare her. It would only make things more difficult. "However, it is most certainly time for me to take my leave, despite my previous promises. There's an arranged meeting that's quite a few miles away which I had forgotten about. I'm sorry, but hopefully I'll be able to return to you soon." I was a terrible liar, likely because I hated doing it, but she seemed to buy my fib with only a bit of skepticism.

Without another word, I turned away from the four of them that I had dedicated the past two and a half months to and sauntered out of their sight. They didn't need to see my haste to meet with the others. If any nearby Absol had felt it as strongly as I had, I was certain that they would seek out our typical gathering place immediately. My perception was not particularly remarkable, unlike my combat ability, and if I had been shaken from the very marrow in my bones, it was near impossible for everyone else not to have experienced the same thing. I shuddered as I began to move faster, falling into a swift sprint through the woods. The very idea that the Awakening would be taking place during my own lifetime was frightening indeed, and it was no wonder that it had activated a compulsion I simply couldn't resist.

Hailed as the Awakening of the Living Flood, the beast called Kyogre, and the Endless Quake, the monster known as Groudon, our ancestors had prophesized that one day, due to the greed and ignorance of the human race and their constant quest for power, the duo would awaken simultaneously and bring about the greatest calamity that the world has ever known. The very idea of the continents and oceans in conflict with one another made me wish that I could hide in a deep, dark hole and simply wait for it to end. Unfortunately for me, I could not afford that luxury. Absol had their own duties to fulfill, and the prevention of the Awakening at all costs was first and foremost among them.

Leaping through the last of the trees, my troubled mind is greeted by a field, equal parts vastness and beauty. I don't slow, continuing on my journey with muscles of iron. Once awoken, the duo's rampage would cause untold damage to this planet, tearing it asunder as beings that many call deities clashed with one another. If they didn't extinguish all life on the face of the planet by the time they had tired themselves out, they would likely render it impossible to inhabit. No, a conflict between the two wasn't an option.

Suddenly, I was on top of the meeting area. It had snuck up on me, preoccupied with my musings as I was. Realizing that I was about to go too far, I desperately braked, much to the amusement of the rest of my species that was in attendance, their white and black fur only a blur as I attempted to stop myself. Only the one at the very end, wings sprouting from her shoulders and horn unusually curved, seemed concerned, shouting out my name in alarm.

I shook my contrasting red fur, attempting to rid myself of the dust that was clinging to it as I walked towards my position in the very front next to a particularly scarred Absol. Noah simply glanced over at me with his barely attached eye, acknowledging my presence. "You're late," he whispered to me, nudging me with a paw. "The meeting started almost thirty minutes ago. Where were you?"

"Near… the Altaria… village," I responded quietly between huffs of air.

The male Absol seemed surprised. "You mean the one that both David and Rebecca visited nearly two months ago? Why would you-"

I was saved from responding by a small cough from my younger sister, who was glaring daggers at both Noah and me. "Cain," she said pointedly. "Did you hear me? I asked if you were alright. You took a particularly long time in getting here, although I am sure you wasted no time."

"Of course," I responded, having caught my breath. "And yes, dear sister, I'm fine. I was quite a bit away from here."

Her previously serious expression melted into a soft smile. Despite her various facades, Abel was, at heart, a kind and loving being. She cared for us all as family, but I understood that she worried for me. Our father, Adam, had always loved Abel the most. She was, after all, all he had wanted in an heir to the position of clan head. I had always been too unstable, too prone to violent solutions to take such a nuanced place within our group. A clan head had to be clear in mind and conscience, or at least, that was how he explained to me in his dying days as to why he had chosen Abel as his successor.

I think that she worried, most of all, that my jealousy hadn't subsided. Admittedly, it hadn't. I still, at least subconsciously, blamed her for the situation that she had put me in. As the elder sister, I should've been next in line. My "flaws" had led to my own flesh and blood passing over me to the next potential heir. It burned my insides whenever I thought about it, but I did love Cain, so I did my best not to.

"I'm glad to hear that you're well," she finally whispered before turning back to the rest of the clan, shifting into her less personal mask. "I am sure," she began, her voice comfortingly steady. "That all of you felt what I think can aptly be put as the "tremor" foretold to warn of the Awakening? A violent feeling of danger or helplessness, perhaps?" Every head nodded, giving her confirmation. "Of course," she amended. "If you hadn't, I suppose you wouldn't be here. Normally, I wouldn't be one to jump to conclusions. Saying that one has felt the coming of the Awakening is not something to take lightly. However, with the limited psychic abilities granted to me by our Lord Arceus-"

"May he continue to bless us," we all muttered automatically.

"I have," she continued, unruffled by the expected interruption. "Been able to communicate with several of the other clan heads on the mainland. Each have reported the same "tremor" that is supposed to be a sign of the upcoming catastrophe. As such," she said, sighing. "There can be no more doubt. The Awakening is in process, and we must do all in our power to prevent it. As such, I will be dividing each of us into duos that will go out and gain as much information as possible about the events that will lead to the eventual disturbance of both Kyogre and Groudon. Noah," she began, listing off the names of each and every Absol in attendance along with their partner. After having gone through everyone except for me, she turned, a twinkle in her visible eye. "Finally, I would like Cain to accompany me as my partner and guard. Remember," she announced, the kindness in her gaze once again disappearing. "Clan rivalry has no place in this endeavor. This will be a united effort on the part of all Absols world-wide. I'm looking at you, especially, David. Keep yourself under control, am I understood?"

"Of course," a deep and charismatic voice sounded from the back, although it was filled to the brim with disgust for what he was being commanded to do. "Whatever you say, dear Abel."

Satisfied at his response, my sister faced all of us, her wings gleaming in the fading sunlight. "With that, you are dismissed with your partners! We meet back in exactly thirty days on the next sun's rising! Do not be late!"

As our various clan mates muttered their assent while filing out, speaking in hushed tones with their partners. Many mates had been paired together to keep fighting down to a minimum, and I saw many of these duos leaning against each other. I let go of a breath I hadn't realized that I had been holding, almost envious of the bond many of our clan shared. Sensing my sister's presence, I turned back to her. A kind smile illuminated her features as she gestured to the back of the clearing. The two of us followed the paths of the others, turning towards the north, where I had come from to attend the meeting.

"It will be good to speak to you again, sister," she commented, breaking the somewhat awkward silence. "It's been many months since we've last crossed paths with one another, hasn't it?"

"That is has," I responded tersely, suppressing the burning rage that had suddenly flared within me. This was no time to be petty over something as unimportant as leadership. There were much more important issues to deal with. "I mean," I amended, attempting to correct my mistake. "That I think it will be good for the both of us to work together for once instead of against one another."

A tinge of sadness entered her Cyclops-like gaze. "I'm so sorry for having wronged you," she whispered, rubbing her coat against mine. "I never meant for this to happen. After I found out you were angry with me for succeeding our father, I suppose I was afraid to face you. It was a terrible thing for me to do, and I hope that it will never happen again. I couldn't bear to be separated from you again."

I turned away, almost embarrassed. She had always been rather sentimental, even before taking control of our well-sized clan. Before the entire issue with succession, the two of us had been closer than string intertwined into a rope, closer than two sides of a coin. She meant more to me than anything else in the comparatively lackluster world, and I knew that I meant the same to her. When I began to feel the compulsions, she refused to allow herself to be left behind. We had travelled everywhere together, and the two of us combined had greater success than either of us ever ended up having alone.

A sudden sense of dread filled me, my horn twitching. Noticing the sudden tensing of my muscles, Abel stopped, glancing to me.

"Cain, what's-"

Not bothering to wait, I took off in a dead sprint, faster than I had ever run before, back towards the direction of the mothering Altaria. The utter doom floating over my head only grew as I came closer and closer to my charges. Many things could happen to an injured mother and her small hatchlings, especially if they were unprepared. If the four had perished in my absence, I would never be able to forgive myself. I needed more speed, and I needed it now.

In response to my desperate wish, I felt wings sprout on my shoulders and my horn widen. Hair all over my body began to grow, perhaps in response to the surge of energy that I felt coursing through my veins, sending me hurtling every faster through the woods that I had now reached, despite the fact that I could now only see easily with a single eye. The power of the clan head, a form change that enhanced nearly every aspect of an Absol, was, undeniably, what was fortifying my strength and endurance. Within the depths of my subconscious, I knew that I must've drawn it directly from my kind-hearted sister, as there can only be a single clan head at a time. I had stolen it from her.

I couldn't have cared less.

Finally, I arrived at the clearing I had, only just hours ago, left the mother Altaria and her hatchlings in. The area was desolate of life, completely empty. I glanced up towards the nest that the injured had set up, but it, too, was not being resided within. I heaved, crashing into the dirt from the sheer amount of energy I had consumed on the way here at a speed that I hadn't thought possible for me to achieve. It had exhausted me both physically and mentally, leaving me a huffing husk of an Absol, frantically looking for some sort of sign that would affirm the four Pokémon that I had rescued still lived in this plane of existence.

It was then, on a tree obscured by a bush, that I glimpsed the blood.

Panic filled me with a new, frantic sense of urgency, sending me unsteadily waltzing forward towards the growth. Directly past it laid a horror that would forever haunt my days as I searched for a solution to the prevention of the Awakening.

Torn and mangled in the dust, a headless Altaria was splayed across the dirt, blood still seeping into the ground. She had been killed just minutes before my arrival. Even with the power of a clan head, the ultimate strength that an Absol could ever achieve, it hadn't been enough. I had sworn to protect her and the hatchlings, Arceus knows where they were now, from whatever I could until they could help themselves, and by attending the meeting with the other members of my species I had broken that oath.

I stared at her corpse, numb. Her body was lined with the marks of claws. Zangoose, likely, had infiltrated the clearing without her knowledge and taken her by surprise. I had seen packs of them in earlier months, but they had quickly faded from the area, likely scared off by my presence.

Or so I had thought. They had merely been biding their time, waiting patiently for me to leave, as they knew I must, so that they could strike and take their four hopelessly helpless victims by surprise. Whatever their plan had been, it had worked perfectly.

Noticing small indentations in the ground, I moved past the mother Altaria's mangled body.

'Footprints.' The thought reverberated in my mind, sending fury rushing through my bones and forcing me to stand straighter, muscles tensing for action.

Abel would be worried out of her mind, having no clue as to why I had taken off and stolen her power from her, but she could wait. Abel would forgive me.

Tonight, I was going to hunt.

**A/N: And that's a wrap! I feel that I did alright with this one-shot, written and edited in less than two hours. Hopefully, you guys like it as well. Feel free to leave a favorite or review if you feel like it. I'd absolutely love any and all feedback that you guys have to give me, as I'm always looking to improve.**

**In the beginning, I only intended to name the two sisters Cain and Abel because I felt it would help with understanding the dynamics of their relationship, but upon brainstorming for names for the other Absol, I elected to make all of them have some sort of biblical origin.**


End file.
